After Twenty Years
by Sotsumi
Summary: FE9. The title is pretty self explanatory. Twenty years after the events in PoR...
1. Chapter 1

"Oof!" The force of impact threw Rhys to the ground. One knee slammed against a stone, causing him to wince in pain. A skinny brunette boy appeared in front of Rhys, shoulders slumped guiltily.

"Sorry, Rhys." He extended his hand. Rhys took it and rose to his feet.

"It's all right, Trystan." Rhys smiled.

"Gotcha!" The young boy was suddenly hoisted into the air by a tall, thin, goateed man with pale green hair. The man, who looked to be about thirty, laughed and, one-armed, held the grinning boy on his shoulder.

"Are you alright Rhys?" He asked, while Trystan held his arms out in front of him, imitating the sound of wind swirling past wings.

"Look, Dad!" He cried, "I'm a hawk!" Rhys laughed at the boy's antics and answered reassuringly,

"I'm fine, Rolf. No harm done."

"If you're sure…" Rolf didn't sound convinced, but let it go. He loked up at Trystan, who was still involved in his daydreams of flight. "You take after your Uncle Boyd….He never would stay put, either,"

"I don't think it's Boyd he takes after," Rhys smiled. "Where's Mist?"

"Oh, she got called out into the town a few hours ago…so I'm on parent duty. If this little guy," He bounced Trystan on his shoulder, "could keep still, maybe Kaia and I could work on her technique."

"If you need some help, Mia and I could keep an eye on the little avian for awhile."

"Thanks, Rhys." Rolf accepted gratefully. "Y'know….you and Mia would make great parents."

Rhys smiled weakly. "I already have Mia. I don't think I could handle another one…..but don't tell her I said that."

"He won't have to!" An energetic voice declared. A pair of arms slid around Rhys' neck from behind.

"Oh, heh.- hello Mia."

"Hey, Handsome." She planted a kiss on his cheek, failing to realize that she'd missed his mouth completely. Rolf set Trystan on his feet.

"Thanks again, Rhys."

Trystan watched as his father left hearing distance. "Mia! You're gonna teach me to use a sword again, right!"

"That depends. You're gonna keep it a secret from your parents, right?"

"Mhmm!" He nodded emphatically as Mia unwound herself from her husband's neck.

"Then of course I am!"

"Yay!"

"And what do you say if you hurt yourself?" Mia prompted.

"That Rhys got faint, fell on me, and pushed me against a tree?"

"Good boy."

"Mia!" Rhys objected, "you can't blame it on me!"

"I can," She kissed him quickly, "and I will."

"Eww…" Trystan scrunched his nose at the display of affection. Mia laughed.

"Go get the practice swords, kid." As trystan ran to retreive their practice swords, Mia turned to Rhys, suddenly serious. "I heard you talking to Rolf….and I'm sorry."

"Mia…"

"Rhys, he's right. You would make a great dad, and don't you dare tell me you wouldn't want to be. I'll know you're lying."

"Mia, I would like to be a father, but I've told you before, I don't blame you that you can't have children. It isn't your fault. Besides….I would rather have you than a hundred children."

"MIA!" Trystan called for her.

"Hold that thought," She ordered Rhys, "we're gonna pick up right here tonight."

Well, what did you think? There's so much more to come…if people like it, that is.

Lemme just clear a few things up.

Kaia- Rolf and Mist's daughter. She has green hair and blue eyes, is about eleven years old, and is training to be an archer with her father.

Trystan- Rolf and Mist's son. He has brown hair and green eyes. He's about seven years old and secretly trains with Mia. (yes, this is supposed to sound familiar)

Mist- Is still a healer and earns income by healing in towns and such.

Rolf- Stayed with Ike and Company.

I think that's all…..Review!


	2. Bugs, Dares, and Pink Pigtails

Thanks for all the positive reviews!

First off:

Kraele and Bremon: How old do you think Mia is? I always imagined her to be 17-18 years old...making her 37-38 in this fic, more than capable of secretly training small children in swordsmanship.

SamtheBranded: Oh, yes. There shall be plenty more characters. There will be enough characters to make your head spin.

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"MOMMY!" A young girl with short, bubblegum-pink pigtails threw herself into her mother's arms.

"Lalit!" Her mother called. "What did you do to your sister this time!"

"I didn't do anything, Mom. Taycin's just being a baby." The twelve-year-old redhead argued, emerging from behind a corner."

"What did he do, Taycin?" She asked her daughter, who mumbled something into her stomach. "What did he do?" She asked again, holding Taycin away from her so that her answer would be more than a few unintelligible mutterings.

"He…" She sniffed before continuing, "he told me I was gonna die!"

"Lalit!"

"She ATE a BUG!" He shot back in his own defense.

"Taycin, you _know_ better."

"HE dared me to!" She clarified, pointing at her older brother accusingly. The fact that he was more than twice her age wasn't nearly as intimidating when Marcia was present.

"Well I didn't think she'd be stupid enough to do it."

"Lalit, apologize! Your sister isn't stupid. Taycin, you aren't going to die, but don't eat anymore bugs." Marcia inhaled and slowly released the breath through her lips.

"Lalit, I'm not going to punish you for making your sister eat a bug." The boy's eyes lit up at this announcement, but Marcia quickly ruined his inward celebration. "I'm going to leave that to your brother."

"Not Griffin!" he protested, horrified. "He's gonna make me do all kinds of horrible stuff! Can't Lil punish me instead?"

"No. I don't think it would sink in if I let Lilith choose your punishment."

"Someone called?" A feminine voice inquired as Marcia and Kieran's eldest daughter finally appeared.

"I was just telling Lalit that you wouldn't be choosing his punishment."

"Oh…" The brunette nodded. "Don't be too hard on him Mom, Tay probably would'be done whatever-it-was on her own anyway." Lalit, her favorite sibling, beamed gratefully.

"Are you sure you don't need any help, Lil?"

"Well….I'm almost done packing…but you can help me finish up if you want,." Lalit readily agreed and started to leave.

"Lalit!Apologize!" His mother reminded.

"Sorry, Taycie!" He called back before disappearing behind the corner with Lilith.

"Mommy…." Taycin mumbled, motioning to be picked up. "Does Lili have to go?"

"She's old enough to know what she wants, Taycin, and, as much as we would like to, your father and I can't force her to stay." Marcia was immensely proud of her eldest daughter for choosing to follow in her footsteps, traveling to Begnion in hope of joining up as a Pegasus Knight, but, like any mother, it was hard to watch her daughter leave, and even harder to know that she might not come back.

"I'm gonna miss her, Mommy."

"Me too, honey. Me too."

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Yeah. Marcia and Kieran. They have four children:

Lilith (AKA: Lil, Lili): The oldest childat18, Lilith has decided to leave home in favor of Begnion. Lilith is brunette with blue eyes.

Griffin (AKA: Griff, although he hates the nickname): Seventeen year old Griffin is Marcia and Kieran's oldest son. Blue-eyed, auburn-haired Griffin is at that stage of being torn between adulthood and adolescence, trying to be responsible, but not always succeeding.

Lalit: Lalit is a mischevious little twelve-year-old who greatly enjoys picking on his younger sister. However, he really does like her, even though she can be annoying. His favorite sibling is his older sister Lilith, and he really looks up to her.

Taycin (AKA: Tay, Taycie) Taycin is the youngest in the family at five years old. She takes after her mother in physical appearance (Pink hair and blue eyes), but already promises to be recklessly bold, never turning down dares from her older brother (even though she might cry about it later)

And there's still so much more to come.

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Review please! I really want to know what you think.


	3. Too many questions for poor Geoffrey

Geoffrey nearly groaned at Faye's approach. Not that he had a problem with her, quite the opposite. The young princess was a beautiful, sweet child, but he had been expecting her. Apparently, she had a cquired an insatiable thirst for knowledge of her parents' history, particularly during the war twenty years ago. When her parents refused to answer he questions to her satisfaction, she began approaching anyone who might remember. Yesterday had been Lucia's turn, and Ashera bless her for forewarning her brother.

"Hi, Geoffrey!" She greeted with a voice far more cheerful and bubbly than her mother's had ever been. "Um…I was wondering if you could tell me about the war with Daein." Ashnard himself couldn't have refused the innocent request.

"Lucia didn't tell you enough?"

"Oh…" Faye quickly recovered from the shock of her source being discovered. "She told me all about how brave everyone was, and how politics and strategy helped Crimea and all that…but she didn't want to tell me any of the good stuff."

"The good stuff?"

"Yeah. She never would tell me anything interesting about my mother or why she won't ever talk about the Greil Merceneries. Weren't they, like…the heroes?"

"Your mother had a…disagreement with the Commander of the Greil Merceneries after the war." Geoffrey explained as delicately as he could.

"Over what?"

"What would happen after Reconstruction. She wanted him to stay in Melior, but he wanted to return home."

"Did he have a family there?"

"No, he was barely older than your mother.." A sudden understanding seemed to set in for the fourteen-year-old.

"Oh….she loved him, didn't she?"

Geoffrey sighed, "Yes, she did."

"What happened?"

"He left. He told her that they both had to many responsibilities to make it work; that it would be better for her to go to m-…to someone else."

"Who?"

"No one important. She didn't care about him enough to follow the advice."

"Oh- you were there during all this, right? What did you think?"

"I just wanted Elincia to be happy."

"Elincia, hm?" Faye nodded with a perception beyond her years. "Were you the other guy?" At his silence, she questioned, "Did you love her, too?" Geoffrey continued to stand in silence. How did one tell a girl that, if he had his way twenty years ago, then her trademark magenta locks might have been a bright azure instead?

Clearing his throat pointedly, he advised, "If you need any more answers, perhaps you should ask your mother…or, if you want, I'm sure Kieran woul be more than happy to tell you all about it.

"I bet he would." Faye laughed, rolling her eyes. "If he introduces himself to me ONE MORE TIME…" This even brought a smile to Geoffrey's face. "Do you know where Cale is?"

"He and Lorn ran off earlier. If you find them, please tell me so I can call off the search party."

"Ok!" She called as she ran away, skirts swirling behind her, leaving Geoffrey alone once again. He had gotten over Elincia long ago. He had finally moved on, but it was amazing how private those memories remained, and how hard they were to share.


	4. Finally a bit of excitement

My responses to your reviews for chapter 2 were lost when I did some editing for my grammar and screwed stuff up, so...I'll repost the here in case you didn't get to see them before they :poof: ed.

Chapter 2 Review Responses

Flarebreeze: Really? You haven't heard of MarciaxKieran? There's some adorable fanart of them out there. And you think four children is a lot? Just wait 'til we see Callil and Largo...:evillaugh:

magebear7: What's wrong with Kieran? I think he's hilarious.

kingdom of tom: Well...Ike's coming up. I don't know how soon "soon" is...but I've already written the introduction of his life situation.

Kraele and Bremon: Thank you. I like the Marcia and Kieran coupling as well (obviously). And I do try to make the children seem realistic...mostly I draw from life experiences to characterize them (both mine and my friends')

Zhen-Sayzuki: Yes...yes I did. :is pelted with cookies: And you probably ARE insane...you just aren't alone. Thanks for your review...and don't worry...I have special security for people like you...:Skinny psychotic looking girls in "Stalker Control Force" T-shirts appear:

Hipparkia: I know...Rolf with a goatee is crazy...but, what can I say? I had a random urge to give him one, and... VOILA!

Chapter 3 Review Responses

Fire Blast123: Yes...Geoffrey and Nephenee... Iknow it's randomand odd, but it still strikes me as cute...

Ayane-san: Go ahead and play the game again if you wish, but you don't have to do it for me. Enjoy yourself!

kingdom of tom: Rare but brilliant? I'm flattered. And here I thought my random pairings were just pure insanity...YAY! I'm BRILLIANT!...Now you've done it...I'll never get my head uninflated...

Well...here's the next chappie. ENJOY!...AND REVIEW!

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"Lorn, if I get in trouble for this, you're DEAD!" Cale pulled up beside his friend easily matching his pace. Lorn had pulled him from a solo practice session.

"Don't worry, Cale. If we get in trouble, I'll tell everyone what happened. You were a good little boy and only followed when I took off." Lorn panted mockingly.

"Grrr….Easy for you to say…..They can't do anything to you. But…if I let something happen…to the Crown Prince of Crimea…I won't live to see seventeen."

"It really…isn't…all it's cracked up…to be." Without lifting his gaze, Lorn brushed away the beads of sweat that threatened to sting his eyes. The sound of pounding hooves far too close for comfort caught his attention. Two horses- one rider, wearing a long, hooded cloak that made it impossible to discern anything but the basic silhouette of the rider.

Whoever-it-was didn't even slow their pace as they rode straight for Lorn. Lorn stumbled over himself and fell to the ground. He was only a few feet from the horse's forelegs when it came to a halt. In a flash of blue hair and reflected sunlight, Cale suddenly stood over Lorn, the sword in his hand gleaming dangerously in the sunlight as he rushed to defend his prince.

"Cale, put that stupid thing down!" Cale lowered the blunted practice sword in embarrassment. "You ruined it…the look on Lorn's face…" A feminine voice laughed as the rider drew back her hood.

"Faye! What did you think you were doing!" Lorn demanded angrily.

"Teaching my idiot brother a lesson!" She shot back, "you deserve to be trampled after pulling a stunt like this. You had everyone worried."

"If it's any of your business, I just had to get away for awhile."

"You don't GET to 'get away'." As Crown Prince, you have to be careful."

"I'm just sick of everyone bothering me, Faye! I want to go out and do things on my own!"

"Lorn, you don't get that option. For the good of Crimea, just let yourself be protected!"

"I don't need to be protected!"

"…You're lying on the ground after tripping over your own feet running from a little girl. If you didn't at least drag Cale along, I'd question your sanity."

"Hm, Cale? Why?"

"For Ashera's sake, Lorn! Were you even paying attention!"

"To what?"

"Did you even notice how quickly cale was covering you? I don't think you'd even hit the ground yet. If he'd had an actual sword, I would've been scared." Cale glanced up as he finished sheathing his less-then-threatening weapon. His cheeks flushed a faint pink at the unexpected praise.

"It was more stupidity than anything else. If I would've paid attention, I would've realized you weren't even armed."

"Nonsense." She waved off his attempt at modesty. "I could've run him over, and you were like lightning."

The flush deepened in color. "I wish I were worthy of the praise, but I'm not even finished with my training."

A loud, piercing whistle cut through the air. Cale and Faye imediately snapped from their conversation to find the source. The retreating sound of hoofbeats, coupled with an echoing laugh, prompted a groan from both of them. The lead rope to the second horse lay uselessly in the dust.

"Come on! Keep up!" Lorn and his recently commandeered bay mare were already fading into the distance. Faye, in a saddle built for a much larger rider, couldn't hope to oth catch up and remain mounted. Her feet dangled uselessly above the stirrups. Cale swung easily into the saddle and dug his heels into the flanks of the roan gelding

"I'm going to lock him up!" Cale awkwardly looped an arm around Faye's waist to keep her from being thrown as their mount took off at a rapid gallop. Faye was pressed backwards into the warmth of Cale's chest and cale inhaled the flowery scent of Faye's hair. Both struggled not to notice.

A rider on a black horse appeared from the east, setting an impressive pace. At the urging of Cale's boots, his own mount accelerated. Lorn was oblivious to the new potential threat. The other rider reached him first.

"Who did Faye recruit to scare me this time?" He wondered aloud. He wasn't worried until the hooded rider drew a gleaming sword. Before he could even react, a roan gelding slammed into the side of his assailant's own ebony mount.

The rider was thrown to the ground by the force of the blow. Lorn's own horse, spooked, ran for the woods. Cale slid to the ground, instructing Faye to get help. The cloaked figure attempted to re-mount, but abandoned the effort as Cale attacked. His weapon may have put him at a disadvantage, but at least he was semi-armed.

Cale's attack shocked his opponent, but soon, he was forced into more defensive maneuvers as the initial element of surprise dissipated. Though unprepared and with an inferior weapon, the sharp pain in his side still surprised Cale. The blood flowing from the wound seemed almost too red, and suddenly, his legs refused to move. The ground rose up to meet him as darkness blurred the edges of his vision. He thought he saw a flash of blue just before everything went black. Then again….maybe he imagined it.

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Hope you liked it! I didn't post bios for the new characters this time...because I'm just lazy. If you wanna see them, just tell me in your review!


	5. Now, for something completely different

An ENORMOUS thank you to my two reviewers, your comments are always helpful.

kingdom of tom: Thank you for the encouragement, glad my feeble attempt at action writing was better than I thought.

FireEdge: Wow...your review makes me happy! Yes...I realize things are moving a bit wuickly, but...if I'm ever going to get ANYWHERE, they need to. But...I'll try and explain things a bit more.

(I just wanted to say that I love your two PoR fics, and point out that the couples your fics are centered around are both present in this fic. Odd, right?)

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A solemn crowd gathered in Serenes Forest. Two angelic voices drifted through the trees as silent tears slipped down the cheeks of the singers. Of the few present, an even smaller percentage understood the sweet words of the ancient language as the two surviving members of the heron tribe paid heir last respects to the dead.

As the last note echoed through the forest, the ceremony ended. Reyson was immediately intercepted by Naesala and Tibarn watched them with a suspicious eye.

Leanne was left standing alone., eyes red-rimmed and misty as she stood over her father's grave. A Begnion senator approached her, but she wasn't afraid. They had long since made their peace with Begnion.

"I'm dreadfully sorry for your loss." He didn't sound sorry at all.

"Thank you." She answered politely.

"I'm sorry…I never did get your name…"

"Leanne."

"A beautiful name, but unworthy of such a lovely creature." As he spoke, he pressed closer. Leanna was visibly nervous.

"Th-thank you." She answered uncomfortably, stepping backwards. A warm hand slid inside her own from behind, comforting and reassuring her. At a glare from this new arrival, the senator politely excused himself. Leanne smiled at his exit. "Thank you, Janaff."

"I don't trust any of these Begnion 'nobles'. They catch a glimpse of a heron alone, and suddenly they aren't so noble…" Janaff muttered in annoyance. More gently, he asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She assured him.

"You need to be even more careful than usual now that-"

"Shh…" She warned gently, "I know."

As the couple approached more polite company, Janaff was forced to release Leanne's hand just before Sanaki intercepted them.

"I am sorry about your father. His death is a loss for us all." Unlike the previous sympathizer, the Apostle seemed sincere in her regret.

"I'll miss him." Leanne answered honestly, not quite as concerned with proper protocol. Though Begnion seemed obsessed with appearances and proper procedure, Sanaki, at least, would understand if she slipped up a bit.

Suddenly, Leanne looked a bit green. She quickly excused herself into the cover of the trees. After a long moment's silence, the Apostle asked Janaff, "Is she ill?"

"No." He answered a bit too quickly. "We were all affected by the King's death, Leanne and Reyson most of all."

"If she isn't up to the return trip to Phoenicis, then she is ore than welcome to spend a few days here." She offered.

"No. We're leaving soon."

"I…I think I want to stay…" a voice behind Janaff stated tentatively. Leanne had returned, even paler than usual.

"Then, it's settled." Sanaki declared, not giving Janaff time to devise an excuse.

"What's settled?" A masculine voice inquired. Tibarn stood behind Sanaki, his very presence dwarfed the Apostle.

"Princess Leanne has chosen to remain here in Begnion for a few days before returning home." Tibarn, Reyson, and Ulki immediately shot worried glances in her direction.

"Are you alright, Leanne!" Reyson asked in alarm. Leanne smiled. Sometimes it was unbelievable how protective everyone was…Reyson, Janaff, Tibarn, Ulki, even Naesala.

"I'm just a little tired from the long flight. Don't worry." The other laguz relaxed only slightly.

After ordering Janaff to stay with Leanne, the hawks and Reyson left. Soon, the only other laguz left were Naesala and a petite golden-winged girl next to him. The Raven King's arm rested on her hips.

"Is that-?" Sanaki asked, less formal than usual in shock.

"Naesala's wife." Janaff finished distastefully.

"He married a hawk? But…I thought….don't they have children? I thought the bird tribes couldn't-"

"Naesala! Marry a hawk! Of course not! What self-respecting hawk would do that kind of thing!" His tone was indignant.

"But…then…"

"She isn't a hawk." Leanne explained gently.

"Of course she isn't. She's a crow."

"But if she's a Raven, then why are her wings…" Sanaki was severely embarrassed by now.

"Not a raven," Leanne corrected calmly, "a crow. A caramel crow."

"But I thought 'crow' was just an insult."

"It is very insulting to call a raven a crow. But they are two completely different tribes that both live on Kilvas and acknowledge Naesala as their King."

"Like Cats and tigers?

"Exactly."

"May I ask why 'crow' is an insult?"

"For the same reason a hawk would be offended if you called him a raven." Leanne looked pointedly at Janaff. "They think that they are better."

"I see. Thank you for explaining this to me."

A beorc man carrying a young child approached them.

"Wow….I never thought I'd actually see one!" His gaze was fixedon the rather attractive crow at Naesala's side. Sanaki didn't seem to mind her husband's staring. She knew him better than to think it was anything more than innocent fascination. "I mean…I heard other laguz talk about them sometimes, but….they're supposed to be really rare, aren't they?"

"Tormod, I think that's enough staring at the poor girl." She looked to Janaff and Leanne. "You know Tormod. This is our daughter Lisia." Lisia couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from Janaff. She chewed on two of her fingers and giggled.

"Haven't you ever seen a hawk before?" Janaff asked warmly.

Lisia nodded, grinning. "But not one with girl hair."

The resulting laughter was not easily suppressed. Janaff pretended not to notice as he attempted to nurse his wounded vanity.

"I do not have 'girl-hair'."

Lisia giggled again. "Yes you do."

"I think it's time we left." Sanaki announced before the hawk's pride could suffer more injury.

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The light sprinkle of rainfall had increased to a torrential downpour. The wind howled and hail pounded against the walls and windows of the palace, but all inside remained comfortably warm and dry. Janaff, despite the risks, hadn't been able to restrain himself as the palace quieted for the night. He, quietly, so as not to attract the attention of the guards that Sanaki had appointed to the Heron Princess, crept into her room, unable to resist the allure of knowing how close she was.

Now the two lay in a warm embrace, Leanne's soft breath tickling Janaff's chest.

"We can't be caught like this…we'll create a scandal." Leanne whispered sleepily. The arm around her waist tightened slightly, pulling her closer.

"Don't worry, we won't. Janny will take care of it."

"'Janny' can just try explaining himself to the Begnion guards."

"I married an angel." Janaff responded in explanation, "if they had someone half as beautiful to go home to, they wouldn't be able to stay away, either….But…we do have to stop hiding ourselves soon. If people figure it out before we tell them…it won't be good for either of us."

"Mmm…not yet…" Sleep claimed her. Janaff wasn't far behind, but for those few seconds between reality and dreams, he cursed the need for secrecy that prevented him from screaming to the heavens that Leanne, the kindest, most beautiful woman he had ever seen, was his mate.

The two bird laguz slept, entangled in each other's arms, not worrying - for once- that someone would discover their secret.

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Aww...Janaff and Leanne...and Sanaki and Tormod...Adorable... :cowers: Please don't kill me!

I know...I've never seen these couplings before, but I always thought they would be cute. Questions? Opinions? Observations? Complaints?

And again, if you want to see Lisia or Cale or Lorn, or Faye's bios...or all of the above, just tell me so in your review.

P.S. Don't worry, it's all going to tie in together eventually.


	6. The Hawks and the Ravens

Wow…sorry this chapter took longer than usual.

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Black Nights: Thank you for your review!

Hipparkia: Thank you very much! I've finally typed the kids bios up and put them at the bottom. Enjoy.

kingdom of tom: Wow…you flatter me too much. I'm never going to be able to deflate my head after all these positive reviews.

Ravestar Ikina: Hey, you can still do yours. In fact, I look forward to reading it. And I used Janny 'cause….it was just too funny to pass up. I dunno what a rabid-fangirl-ish nickname for Janaff would be…to me, he's always either Janaff or Janny. Sorry.

FireEdge: I don't know…I just could never get into NaesalaLeanne. I do enjoy some good JanaffLucia, but…JanaffLeanne is an essential part of this story, so I couldn't exactly do that. I have a lot more written, but my chapters tend to be short because of my short attention spa-…

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Fortunately, the foul weather confined itself to Begnion. When Tibarn, Reyson, and Ulki landed in Phoenicis, a warm, peaceful dusk greeted them. However, only Tibarn's quick reflexes enabled him to catch the blur that threw itself into him, wrapping small arms around his waist as far as they would reach. Tibarn now held a tangle of dark hair and downy wings: the younger of his two sons.

"Hello, Carhan." He ruffled the boy's hair fondly before setting him down and turning his attention the the slightly larger figure before him.

"Where's Janaff?" The boy, about the size of a nine-year-old beorc, asked.

"He stayed in Begnion with Leanne for a few days."

"Why?" He asked, obviously disappointed at the absence of his idol.

"Enough questions, Tecoran," a woman behind him urged, "Go greet your Father. He's been gone all day." She gave the boy a tiny shove. Tibarn lowered himself to face-level with his oldest son and embraced him with one arm.

"Hi, Dad."

Tecoran was, both literally and figuratively, Phoenicis' golden boy. His honey-colored hair and tawny wings had become symbols of promise for Phonicis' future. At the young age of seventeen, it was already apparent that Tecoran would be every bit as big, brave, and strong as his father.

"Ahem." Tibarn instantly rose to his full height. The speaker was a woman, tall for her sex, but beside Tibarn, it was hardly noticeable. She might not have been gorgeous, but she was pretty enough: sturdily built, not skinny, but thin, with dark brown hair that cascaded down her shoulders. Her wings, like Ulki's instead of fading to white, darkened to black at the tips.

"Lorraine." Husband and wife embraced.

"I assume the trip went smoothly?"

"It did." Lorraine rearranged her chocolate-colored wings behind her back and took Tibarn's hands, leading him inside.

"Then come in and get something to eat. I'm sure your hungry after the flight."

"Starving." He admitted.

"Well, come on, then."

The group of bird laguz retired indoors. Carhan brought up the rear, the dark hair and wings he had inherited from his mother virtually disappearing as night fell around them.

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Night was falling when King and Queen Kilvas returned. All was silent. To the surprise of both, not even Nealuchi came to greet them. He had stayed behind, it was a long journey and someone had to stay behind to look after "Nestling's nestlings". After a few minutes of searching, they found him holding young Prince Kilvas, both Nealuchi and Vaston were fast asleep.

Two young girls crouched beside Nealuchi, dropping shelled beedle nuts into his mouth. Another girl muffled her high-pitched laughter with her hands a few feet away.

"Girls!"

Nealuchi jerked awake and the perpetrators, Syrena and Keela, froze, staring up at their father like deer in the headlights.

"Stop tormenting Nealuchi. Apologize and go to bed." Rebuked, but not at all guilty, the three girls heaved a collective "Sorry." From behind poorly disguised grins. As the girls ran out together, laughter echoing through the halls, Quyn took her son from Nealuchi and Naesala turned away, hiding his head in his hands.

"Neshtling?" Nealuchi seemed to notice the nuts in his mouth for the first time. Naesala's shoulders began shaking with laughter. Quyn smiled and Nealuchi chewed contentedly.

"If Dylean could see them now, she would be rolling in her grave." Dylean, Syrena and Keela's mother, had been Naesala's wife. She was pretty, kind, demure; always too perfect for Naesala.

"Come on, Naesala." Quyn handed him Vaston. "Good night, Nealuchi!" She guided Naesala out by pushing on his back playfully.

"What-Quyn!" Already outside the room, he resisted, planting his feet.

"Well, if you're going to be like that…" She began massaging his shoulders. Goddess that felt good…Her hands rose from his shoulders to his neck. His eyes closed blissfully and her finger moved again, to behind his ears this time, massaging in a slow, circular motion. Naesala felt as if he would melt into the floor, when, suddenly, it stopped.

"Let's put the baby to bed." She breathed, standing on tiptoes to be as close to his ear as possible, "and then…." She let it hang unfinished, knowing her actions had gotten the meaning across. Her words had echoed Naesala's thoughts. Sometimes, they were too much alike. She may have caused some disagreements about having a crow in the palace, but Quyn and Naesala fit together in a way he and Dylean never could.

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Ok…if you didn't really get this, Naesala married this raven chick named Dylean. She was perfect. TOO perfect for him, but they got along ok. They had two daughters (Syrena and Keela). Then, Dylean died. Naesala then married Quyn, and some ravens got mad 'cause they thought a crow wasn't good enough for their king or whatever. But they dealt. Quyn and Naesala now have two children of their own. (Livya and Vaston)

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Mini Bios

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Faye- Youngest child of Elincia and Treyce. Faye is currently fourteen years old. Faye is an assertive girl with magenta hair and red eyes.

Cale-Cale is the only son of Geoffrey and Nephenee. He has blue hair like his father, and green eyes. Cale is sixteen years old, and best friends with Lorn. Also, Cale tends to follow the rules and do whatever is asked of him.

Lorn- The seventeen-year-old Crown Prince of Crimea. Lorn has green hair and red eyes, like Elincia. Rebellious and wild, Lorn hates being next in line for the throne, and longs to go out and have adventures instead.

Lisia- The only child of Sanaki and Tormod, five-year-old Lisia takes after her father. She lacks her mother's restaint and says whatever is on her mind. Begnion prays she will outgrow this tendency. Lisia has hair of a dark fuschia shade and golden eyes.

Tecoran- At seventeen years old, Tecoran is the eldest son of Tibarn and Lorraine. He has brown eyes, light brown/dirty blond hair and tawny wings that should soon be ready for flight. Tecoran idolizes Janaff.

Carhan- Younger son of Tibarn and Lorraine, Carhan is dark-haired and dark-winged with brown eyes. Carhan is routinely hidden in the shadow of his older brother, and few ever realize what an affectionate, bright child Carhan is.

(Exact ages yet to be determined)

Syrena- Eldest daughter of Naesala and Dylean, Syrena is a good bit kinder than her siblings, but is easily persuaded into mischief. Syrena has dark green hair and red eyes,

Keela-Keela is the mastermind of all the troublemaking caused by she and her sisters. Bright, clever, and a wonderful little actress, she usually gets away with anything. Navy-haired, red-eyed Keela takes after her father.

Livya-Livya is the youngest daughter of Naesala and Quyn's first child. At her birth, Naesala was slightly upset at the prospect of yet another girl, but quickly got over it. Livya is an adorable child and really looks up to her half-sisters. She has caramel-colored hair and brown eyes like her mother.

Vaston- Finally, a boy. Naesala was thrilled, as he had been expecting to be overwhelmed by X-chromosomed-offspring. What little hair baby Vaston has is black and his eyes are a light brown.

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Questions, Comments, Ideas? Review!


	7. TOO MANY GIRLS

Frodo007: Thank you for the compliment and the review!

Magebear7: I'm sorry if it's getting a bit hard to follow with all the characters and such, but just so you know, this new chapter is DESIGNED to be chaotic, so….yeah.

Kingdom of tom: Thank you so much! I tried to give descriptions without going overboard…

FireEdge: Yeah, even my best friend (who gets previews and such) got confused by Cale, Faye, and Lorn (She kept mixing up Cale and Lorn)

Macky: Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this new chapter as well!

Hipparkia: I understand it gets confusing with all the new characters, but I'll try and keep the confusion at a minimum from now on. Well….it'll be awhile before we see any more of Rhys and Mia…so much to do and so many characters to introduce…

Gamerandrew: Ena and Rajaion would be VERY difficult to incorporate, and right now I doubt they'll even be in this fic. But I promise, there will be some RanulfxLethe (and one other beast couple) but alas, poor Mordecai probably won't have a significant other (if he's in this fic at all)

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"Leila, we need some more butter. Would you go get some?"

'I'm not Leila. I'm Ardena." The sixteen-year-old corrected Calill without pausing, walking away before her mother could say anything more.

Obviously irritated, Calill immediately seized the next child that went by.

"Khalon, would you-"

"Aiden." Her son clarified, also continuing on by. Calill frowned.

"Kira, we need-"

"Can't Mom!" Kira called back, up to her elbows in soap suds.

Another girl walked by.

"Leila-" Calill began.

"Nope. Still Ardena." Her daughter contradicted.

"Well, Ardena, then, could you-" Ardena was already gone.

"For ASHERA'S SAKE! SOMEONE get some more butter!" For a long moment, there was complete silence as all eyes trained themselves on Calill in an unnerving stare. Suddenly, she was no longer important and was promptly ignored once again as everyone went back about their own business. It was enough to drive a woman crazy. Calill was about to snap, when-

"Here, Mother." Khalon, her eldest son at nineteen years old, handed her a stick of butter wrapped loosely in cloth.

"Thank you, Khalon."

"We….we heard you from outside." He told her, look at her worriedly. "Father says maybe you need to rest for awhile."

"I'm fine, Khalon."

A drunken man at the counter flirted shamelessly with her daughter as she refilled his mug. Calill groaned and put a stop to this, taking the mug and filling it herself.

"Leila, go help Kiera with the dishes."

"Mother!" Her eldest daughter cried indignantly.

"Go!"

She went. The man at the counter watched appreciatively as she retreated. He was only distracted by his refilled mug being shoved under his nose. When his eyes refocused, and he caught sight of Calill, he leered suggestively and opened his mouth. A raised eyebrow cut him off. Although she would not admit it, Calill still enjoyed the attention. It was flattering to know that, after twenty years of marriage and eight children, she could still catch a man's eye, no matter how drunk he was. She pushed the thought from her mind and glanced over to where her two youngest, Jana and Jayda, identical lavender-haired twin girls, carried a heavy pail between them, refilling the water pitchers.

As the air began to cool from the hot afternoon, Leila, Ardena, Kira, Taniya, Jana and Jayda ventured outdoors. Evenings were always set aside for practice in their respective skills. Soon, the boys, Aiden and Khalon, would finish with their own chores and join their sisters. Ardena made a beeline for her older brother. She stood in front of him, axe resting on her shoulder in an ongoing challenge.

"Come on, Khalon. Put your shirt on, get your lance, and get ready to lose."

Khalon shook his head and smiled, stacking his armload of firewood against the side wall. "Alright, Ardena," he conceded, "but don't get too cocky." Ardena might typically head up the sibling hierarchy, but for those infrequent moments when Khalon got involved, there was no contest.

Red-haired Leila nocked an arrow and took careful aim before releasing it into the center of the target. Three more embedded themselves in the target in quick succession. Three for aim, three for speed. The pattern had long since become habit.

Kiera practiced alone with a wooden sword, while a sapling between the twins crackled; it's spindly branches alight with flames. Aiden, who had a gift with horses, had cared for their customers' steeds, and emerged.

"Come on, Taniya!" He wheedled. "Practice with me, please? Everyone knows you're the best with magic…"

Flattery would get him nowhere, but, as usual, his pleading finally wore quiet, peaceful Taniya down, and she gave in. Between the eight of them, it was amazing that anything was left standing.

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Khalon- Eldest son of Largo and Calill. He is nineteen years old with blue eyes and blonde hair. Khalon is a kind and responsible young man.

Leila- Eldest daughter of Calill and Largo- Leila is an eighteen-year-old redhead with blue eyes. Leila is social and a bit of a flirt. She is engaged to a young man named Brenden. Leila is her mother's favorite daughter.

Ardena- Second daughter of Calill and Largo- Ardena has indigo hair and eyes. She is significantly tougher than all her siblings, save Khalon.

Taniya- Third daighter of Calill and Largo- Sixteen-year-old Taniya had blue hair and violet eyes. She is the most adept at magic, but also he most reluctant to use it. She is unnervingly quiet at times, and will do almost anything to avoid conflict. She is Largo's favorite daughter, although Calill is unnerved by her

Aiden- Violet-haired, blue-eyed Aiden is, at fifteen, the youngest son of Calill and Largo. He, as one of the middle children, is often looked over and, to make himself noticed, frequently asserts his usefulness.

Kira- Fourth daughter of Calill and Largo- Blonde, violet-eyed, thirteen-years-old Kira is an extremely positive, helpful child. She is particularly skilled at any detail-oriented work with her hands.

Jana and Jayda- The two youngest daughters of Calill and Largo- The twins are posess lavender hair and purple eyes. They are typical adventurous, destructive children at the moment (Calill is praying they'll grow out of the destructive phase)

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I dunno...truth be told, I gave them eight children on a dare from a friend, but I kinda like it. Poooooor Poor Largo. Lol. SIX daughters. SIX! It's enough estrogen to drive any man crazy!

Review and tell me what you think!

Next Chapter: BACK TO THE GREIL MERCENERIES!


	8. Back with the Mercenaries

Sorry for being gone so long! Final exams, you know? Everything was crazy with all the projects that needed to be done, studying for finals, end of the year activities, graduation and such…but I've FINALLY got the time to work on this again.

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Magebear7: Yes, it has been quite awhile spent only on introductions, but, you know, there are soooo many characters that need to be introduced. There is going to be conflict, though. Don't worry about that.

Frodo007: Thank you for the compliments and the review!

Kingdom of tom: the wait is over…although…I hope you'll be pleased with it.

Dark Seroph: Thank you for the suggestions. I appreciate the input.

Lure-Marth: I'm completely aware of the new Fire Emblem. I wasn't even planning on putting Sothe in this in the first place…I'm not particularly fond of him.

Fire Edge: Well, the wait is finally over, and don't worry about Callil and Largo's family…you'll see them again.

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Fifteen year old Evelyn's body slammed into a tree The impact knocked the wind out of her and freed several more strands of royal-blue hair, which immediately plastered themselves to her perspiring forehead and cheeks.

"Dad!" She panted. Her father was unsympathetic.

"Evelyn, you have got to be quicker than that! Most of your opponents are going to be bigger and stronger than you, but if you're agile enough, you can use that to your advantage."

Evelyn was unimpressed. As Ike and Aimee's only daughter, she had heard this particular lesson countless times. Her father heaved a deep sigh.

"Go on home. Your mother probably can't wait to get onto me for being 'too hard on you'." Aimee would never understand how important it was to Ike that he train their daughter. It was more than just a matter of pride or tradition. Even now she was almost the same age he had been when he was orphaned. Ike needed to leave his mark on this world, and Evelyn was his legacy.

The aggression and irritation built up during the workout were easily brushed aside as Evelyn spotted Mirideth and Tesen studying together in the grass. Unfortunately, the stiffness in her hip and leg didn't fade as easily, and promised a rather impressive bruise and at least a week of soreness.

Evelyn ignored the pain and continued towards her peers. Normally, the only way to differentiate between the two siblings from behind was to compare heights, as Tesen stood a few inches taller than Mirideth, but in their current position, it was all but impossible. As she drew closer, it became easier to decipher which was which. One of them, obviously Mirideth, chewed distractedly on a piece of jerky. Both of them looked up as Evelyn approached, the perfect synchronization of the movement was almost unnerving. The two were almost perfectly identical, from the pale lavender of their eyes , to their long ebony hair. They were every inch what one would expect the children of Ilyana and Soren to be. Only the softer, more feminine aspects of Mirideth's face, and the mark of the branded on her forehead set she and Tesen apart.

"You're limping." Tesen observed calmly, despite Evelyn's attempt to hide the injury.

"I had a run-in with a tree a few minutes ago." She explained.

Mirideth, at the mention of an injury, took charge. "Here. Let me see." Her thin, pale fingers carefully exposed the flesh of Evelyn's hip. Already it was blossoming a shocking violet. Mirideth rolled the waistline of her skirt down to hold it in place. "I think I have something that will help." She climbed to her feet. "Wait here."

The situation might have become more awkward upon Mirideth's departure, Evelyn standing there alone; bare skin exposed to Tesen's sharp eyes. She didn't seem to notice.

"What are you reading?"

"Some of my father's old notes." Tesen answered vaguely.

"Oh, what about? Lemme see." Evelyn dropped down beside him, trying to read as well. Se was forced to lean into her friend to see the page more clearly.

"Evelyn!" Unfortunately for his daughter, from Ike's perspective, the situation didn't look so innocent. She made it worse by pulling away in shock before he could fully assess the situation. All Ike saw were two extremely close teenagers and enough exposed skin on his daughter to make him uncomfortable.

At her father's anger, Evelyn realized how this must look to him. She attempted to defend herself. "Dad…"

"Go home, Evelyn." He cut her off sternly. Tesen looked up at Ike, startlingly unruffled. Fortunately for the boy, Ike had no right to punish Soren's children until they were accepted as actual members of the mercenary band. Knowing this, Ike turned and left before he did something he would regret. He couldn't do anything now, but, by Ashera, he was not going to put up with this sort of thing taking place under his nose.

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Yeah…I can totally see Ike trying to chase boys away from his daughter…

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Yes, this chapter was another short one, but anyhow ….In case you didn't get this from the chapter:

Ike and Aimee have one daughter named Evelyn.

Soren and Ilyana have two kids: Mirideth and Tesen

Both have long black hair and lavender eyes

Mirideth, their daughter, is Branded and has her mother's appetite

Tesen inherited neither trait

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Review please!

Next Chapter: More on the mercenaries and the goings-on in Melior


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